(December 27-30, 2025) Few people have heard of Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands. I was one of them until I read Walter Isaacson’s biography of Elon Musk in 2023. One of the islands in the Kwajalein Atoll served as SpaceX’s primary launch site for the Falcon 1 rocket. Today, various islands in the atoll house U.S. military bases.
We visited Ebeye Island to complete our customs clearance for the Marshalls. Ebeye is a small but highly populated island. Like most of the Marshall Islands, its average elevation is only about six feet above sea level.
Many locals on Ebeye commute to work at the Kwajalein U.S. military base via a free shuttle boat run by the U.S. Army. We considered taking it to withdraw cash from an ATM at the Kwajalein terminal, but we were told it was out of order. While there is another ATM on the military base itself, we were not allowed to visit without a sponsor. There are no ATMs on Ebeye Island, though cash isn’t strictly required since there are only a few restaurants and store supplies were low.
The Customs and Immigration check-out process was simple and efficient. I wish more countries would simplify their entry and exit processes the way the Marshall Islands does. After receiving our clearance and exit stamps, we set our sights on our next destination: the Federated States of Micronesia, located in the West Pacific near the Equator.
I will always remember the incredibly clear, greenish-blue water of Ebeye. We were both amazed that water could be so beautifully transparent.
